Labor Day # 2

Labor Day was first celebrated on September 5, 1882 when 10,000 workers marched from city hall to Union Square City. The creators of Labor Day is still debated but ultimately it was proposed by the Central Labor Union of New York City. The Union wanted to create a day off for working people to honor them. In the 1800s many Americans worked about twelve hours a day for little pay. As a result of the poor working conditions in the mid-1800s workers joined labor unions. The unions were formed so workers could come together and fight for their rights. The workers held strikes in the streets for better pay and conditions. After it became a holiday Labor Day was celebrated with parades. Workers would represent their union and entertain the crowd. During the holiday workers also discussed ways to achieve better conditions and salaries. Later, speeches were given by men and women who were prominent in society. In 1894 Congress declared the first Monday in September Labor Day. This date was chosen because it is halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
Now days Labor Day is just seen as a vacation from work. I have never thought about why we celebrate Labor Day. To me it is a weekend of fun and getting to see my family from all over the country. It never occurred to me that we celebrate this day to honor workers. In this day of age we have many holidays where we get days off. Since we have all these days off from work or school we tend to take holidays for granted. In the 1800s people worked even on weekends so Labor Day was a special occasion for them. I relate Labor Day to other holidays like President's Day or Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Most Americans do not really think about or reflect on the true meaning of these days. They are just happy to have a day without work. I think Americans should take more time to appreciate the holidays. We should not see Labor Day as just a fun day off from school. It is a day where we should honor and pay tribute to the workers of the past. The forgotten workers whose determinations for humane conditions and just pay have made our country what it is today.